5 Reasons to Try YouTube Advertising for Your Small Business

YouTube is using Homer Simpson and his snowplow startup to attract more small businesses to its platform.

In the ad, Homer’s small business, Mr. Plow, is having a hard time attracting customers through traditional marketing channels. Spunky daughter Lisa jumps online and creates a video ad for Mr. Plow, targeting local areas in the fictional town of Springfield. Business starts booming. Is it really that simple? YouTube thinks so!

The clip description from YouTube reads in part “YouTube isn’t just a place for brands with primetime budgets, it has become a powerful tool for small and medium businesses too….”

Can YouTube work for your business? Think about how your customers find you. More than likely these days, lots of small businesses are located online via a laptop, tablet or smartphone. One of the creative ways to reach potential customers online, YouTube, has been steadily evolving. Here’s why YouTube advertising can be a great strategy to attract new customers to your small business.

1) The numbers are impressive:

YouTube has over a billion users, almost one-third of all people on the Internet

Every day people watch hundreds of millions of hours on YouTube and generate billions of views

YouTube overall reaches more 18-34 and 18-49 year-olds than any cable network in the U.S.

2) It’s cost effective. You have complete control over your daily budget, so you can spend what you’re comfortable with. Plus, you only pay when someone engages with your ad. If they skip it before 30 seconds (or the end) you don’t pay a cent.

3) Refined targeting. YouTube allows you to identify separate target groups. (Like Lisa did for Mr. Plow) Once these are set up correctly, you won’t waste dollars on the wrong audience.

4) Sales. YouTube ads generate sales for your small business at a cost-effective price. Small business owners have reported that YouTube ROI is better than other channels like Facebook or Google AdWords.

5) Mobile friendly. Over 50 percent of YouTube’s video views occur on mobile devices like tablets and smartphones. YouTube videos get shared on social sites a lot with many checking social media using mobile. Videos are often viewed whenever folks have a spare moment – commuting, standing in line, chilling on the couch.

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